Employment in Los Angeles' entertainment industry climbed nearly 4% in 2012, reflecting an upswing in feature film production in the fourth quarter and a surge in commercial shoots, which climbed to a record level last year as major brands spent more money on campaigns to promote their products.

The so-called motion picture and sound recording category — including those who work at the major film studios, music labels and post-production houses — employed an average of 129,675 people in 2012, up 3.7% from the average employment in 2011, according to the state Employment Development Department.

L.A. County employment in the category hit a high point for the year in December with 139,300 people on the payroll, up 3.3% over December 2011.